Liar’s Winter by Cindy K. Sproles | book review

About the book: (from the publisher) “The choices you make determine who you are. Not no mark.”

Lochiel Ogle was born with a red-wine birthmark—and it put her life in jeopardy from the moment she entered the world. Mountain folks called it “the mark of the devil,” and for all the evil that has plagued her nineteen-year existence, Lochiel is ready to believe that is true. And the evil surely took control of the mind of the boy who stole her as an infant, bringing her home for his mother to raise.

Abused and abandoned by the only people she knows as family, Lochiel is rescued by a peddler and given the first glimpse of love she has ever known. The truth of her past is gradually revealed as is the fact that she is still hunted by a brother driven to see her dead. Unsure if there’s anyone she can truly trust, Lochiel is faced with a series of choices: Will she continue to run for escape or will she face her past and accept the heartbreaking secrets it reveals? Which will truly free her?

Set in the wild and beautiful Appalachian Mountains of nineteenth-century East Tennessee, Liar’s Winteris an unflinching yet inspirational exploration of prejudice and choice.

About the author: Cindy K. Sproles is the author of devotions published in newspapers across the country and a teacher at Christian writers conferences. She spent her formative years showing off her beloved Appalachian Mountains to others, and she and her family still live in the mountains of East Tennessee.

My take: Always on the lookout for fresh new voices in fiction, I wanted to give this one a try, especially because of its Appalachian setting which, for some reason, I’m often drawn to. As the cover, title, and premise imply, Liar’s Winter is not a cozy read. It is, however, a compelling one. It’s a powerful story, practically vibrating with energy.

Liar’s Winter is for those who relish atmospheric novels with a creative voice and standout setting. For those who want stories that champion justice and the kind of love that has teeth to it. And gritty characters you won’t soon forget.

If you like novels with an original narrative voice and a strong theme of biblical justice — such as those by Susie Finkbeiner and Rachel Keener — then this one might be for you.

Thanks to Kregel Books for providing me this book free of charge. All opinions are mine.

After words: What novel have you recently read that featured an original narrative voice?